


The Origin of Robin

by Weazel



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 19:22:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1399540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weazel/pseuds/Weazel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All there in the title.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Origin of Robin

**Author's Note:**

> This is more of an adaptation than a straight fanfic.   
> I was reading some old comics and thought 'Hell, these are really good!'. So I decided to re-write them into short story form as a way to practice my writing skills.  
> This one is from Batman #213 (I found it in 'Showcase Presents: Robin the Boy Wonder Vol. One')  
> All the dialogue, and the general story obviously, comes straight from the original comic.

1940\. Newton. A small, up and coming community on the outskirts of Gotham.

The posters for Haley’s Circus advertised elephants, clowns and all kinds of thrilling acts. But that’s not why the people of Newton flocked towards the Big Top. No, they came to see one thing. High above the centre ring in the spotlight. They came to see the one, the only, The Flying Graysons! 

The Flying Graysons were known throughout the world. Not only did they wow audiences with their daring trapeze acts, performing feats few others could do, they did it all without a net. 

That night as the climax of their performance approached the smallest member of the trope, Dick Grayson, descended back down to the ring to watch his parents. Despite their profession Dick’s parents were not completely mad. So while Dick had inherited both their skill and bravery when it came to the trapeze, they weren’t about to let their ten year son perform their most dangerous feat. 

Nonetheless, the audience had paid to see a show and a show is what they will get! 

Dick watched in awe as his father, John, prepared himself to perform his specialty:

The Triple Spin.

It was an act nigh on impossible to do for most acrobats but John could pull it off as if it were second nature to him. And he did it night after night to awestruck audiences, none more amazed than Dick. 

There was a drum roll as John took hold of the trapeze and swung out, and the audience held their breath.They watched as he reached the top of its swing and gracefully summersaulted three times. 

“Nice going, dear!” said Mary, as she reached out to catch her husband. 

Just as John fell into his wife’s arms…

Snap.

The usual cheers from the crowd were replaced by a single scream. The ropes of the trapeze, which on every other night had easily held the weight of both John and Mary, had severed. 

“Oh… No… Mom! Dad!” Dick stood next to Haley the Ringmaster in horror as the Flying Graysons fell. 

“They’ll be killed!” Haley tried to hold Dick back as he desperately tried to get to his parents.

“Let me through! They’re not…” cried Dick.

“I’m afraid so, son.”

 

*******

 

A week later Dick found himself walking passed the circus office when … 

“Too bad about that ‘accident’, Haley.”  
“Yeah, you should taken our tip. There’d be no accident if you paid us to ‘protect’ you.”

He heard a strangled voice reply, “You murderers! I’ll pay… but only so no one else gets killed!”

Suddenly all of Dick’s grief turned to rage.

“They murdered Mom and Dad! I’m going to the police!” 

Before he could act, however, Dick felt hand land on his shoulder.

“No, son… Not yet!” Startled, Dick turned to see who the growl belonged to. 

Behind him stood a man, face half covered by a mask and with a heavy black caped draped over his shoulders.

“Wha…? Who…?”

The man reach out a gloved hand. 

“I’m the Batman. I want to help you get those killers. But you can’t go to the Police! Come with me and I’ll tell you why.”

Part of Dick knew that he shouldn’t. He wasn’t stupid, and he knew nothing about this man. Hell, he didn’t even know what he looked like! But rage and sorrow were overriding his thoughts. He wanted to avenge his parents, he wanted their killers to pay, Dick wanted it more than anything else in the world. And besides, he wasn’t just some kid, he was a Flying Grayson! He knew how to take care of himself. So, some moments later he found himself sitting next to the Batman, being driven away from the circus, in a large and powerful black sedan.

“Those were two of ‘Boss’ Zucco’s boys. He practically runs the town. If you talked you’d be dead in an hour!” The Batman’s voice matched the car’s engine as he explained. “I’m taking you to safety… Till I can get evidence on Zucco himself.”

As he manoeuvred the car down a dark tunnel the Batman said something that caught Dick’s attention. 

“I have a special interest in you… because my parents, too, were killed by a criminal. That’s why I dedicated my life to fighting crime.”

Yes, thought Dick. This man could help him get back at his parent’s murderer. He didn’t need some crooked cops to track the killer down, he could do it himself.

“I’d think to do the same! Give me a chance to avenge my parents!”

The caped man looked somewhat reluctant at the idea of Dick joining him in his crusade. But as he was lead into the Batcave Dick continued to plead.

“Okay, Dick. I’ll give you a chance. Come with me.”

So, in the darkness of the cave Dick swore an oath to the Batman, promising that he would always fight against crime and corruption and never swerve from the path of the right. 

When Dick had finished his oath…

“Now I’m going to trust you with a secret I’ve never revealed to anyone else…. My real identity! I’m socialite Bruce Wayne!”

“G-Golly.”


End file.
